


Teach Me To Drive Or I'll Walk Myself

by The_Impavid



Series: Shenanigans [5]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Awesome May Parker (Spider-Man), Comic Book Science, Cute Miles Morales, Flash Thompson Redemption, Fuck science, Genius Peter Parker, Happy Hogan is a Good Bro, Intern Peter Parker, Mentioned Ben Parker, Michelle Jones Is a Good Bro, Ned Leeds is a Good Bro, No such thing as a good field trip, Original Character(s), Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker is a Mess, Peter is a Little Shit, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Peter Parker, Supportive May Parker (Spider-Man), Tony Stark Does What He Wants, WikiHow is my sensei, happy needs a raise, ned is a little shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-10-12 00:10:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20554991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Impavid/pseuds/The_Impavid
Summary: Peter's driving in Homecoming was fucking awful, so here's a 5+1 of people teaching Peter to drive and not kill anyone!





	1. Leeds

Peter is a terrible driver. As further proven by the result of stealing Flash’s car for a joyride to the Vulture’s lair. Not for the lack of skill, but for the lack of practice. The Parker family only had one car, it used to belong to Ben, and for that reason alone May & Peter hardly ever actually use it. It’s only for late-night adventures or for long distances that neither are willing to walk. Besides, trains are cool.

Not to mention that May Parker is an absolute road-rage-induced hellhound who should never be involved in New York traffic. Or – very unrelatedly – Thursday evening ladies night margarita poker games…. Yeah. Anyways, May Parker is not the only woman in Peter’s life who cares about him or is the only one looking after his wellbeing.

Shelly Leeds basically pseudo-adopted this small white boy who was the first true friend her son ever made. She was there making sure Peter got enough food when Ben lost his job as a construction worker. She was there holding Peter & Ned behind her, ducking behind a bank counter as literal aliens crowded the sky of New York. She was there helping May set up a celebration party the day after the boys got their acceptance letters to MSST. She was there mourning alongside her son & husband at the passing of Ben, who at that point became an extension to their family.

She is there, watching as May struggles by herself to raise Peter, manage a household, and just balance being a responsible adult. Shelly decides she will help in any way she could, they're family after all.

This leads to now:

"Mrs Leeds, are you sure May is alright with this?" Peter asks hesitantly, eyes flickering wildly in the empty multilevel car park. Paranoid much?

“Dude, c’mon. Stop trying to get out of it. Don’t deny that you really need practice.” Ned gives him a patronising look that makes him shrink down into the seat. Guess Ned’s not on his side this time. Wasn’t ‘Guy in the Chair’ supposed to be an all-or-nothing deal?

“Sit up Parker!” Shelly reprimands, snapping her fingers, and he jumps up into position immediately. “With your height, it’ll already be difficult for you to reach the pedals.” She smirks, Ned cackles in the back, and Peter looks helplessly towards God. The man upstairs can save him or smite him. Both options look good right now.

“Y’know, I am feeling attacked right now.”

“It’s been only 5 minutes, Pete.”

“Imagine how the rest of the night will go.”

Laughing, Shelly says, “Boys, hold your tails. Now, Peter, I’ve walked you through the steps, you just need to relax and follow them.”

“Yeah, I can do that,” Peter whispers more to himself than anyone. 

He restarts the car, looks all around even though they all know nobody is there and tries to back up slowly. Keyword: tries. No, instead he puts too much pressure on the pedal and viscously swings the car around 180.

“Oh no no no NO!”

“Oomphf.”

“WHEEEE!”

“Ned, stop it. Peter, that wasn’t bad. Just start slow and work your way up, got it?” He nods, trying to ignore Ned’s face.

He starts again, taking a deep breath, and starts driving 15 MPH down the lanes. Shelly has an approving look and Peter catches Ned recording him from the driving mirror. He whips around, focusing from the lane to Ned then back again. “Dude quit it!”

“Peter, eyes on the road.”

“Ned!”

“Snapchat must see all.”

“Pe-”

“Knock it off.”

“Peter, focus on driving!”

“No, I'm sending it to the Decathlon team.”

Peter just ignores poor Shelly and tries to grab Ned’s phone with one hand.

“BOYS!”

Ned keeps the phone out of range, still focus on Peter, and smacks the offending hand away.

“Ow!”

“You deserve that!”

Peter tries to reach for it again, still driving down lanes. Shelly gives up on trying to settle them down and sinks into her seat, hand covering he face. It's going to be a long night.


	2. May

It's another late night adventure with May, both sitting in Ben’s car, eating triple-cooked fries, and catching each other up on life. May already went off about training this new girl who could not follow orders at all. Peter talks about being treated like a little kid around the SI project team. May mentions new recipes she wants to try and how she’ll pawn off some to the elderly woman down the hall. Peter tells a couple of short stories of his Spider-Man patrols, none of them involving bad guys with knives or guns. Just a quiet night where both May and Peter need some company to fill the silence. Then May brings up driving.

“So, how did driving with Shelly go?” Peter laughs deadpan.

“As well as you'll imagine with Ned being… Ned.”

“He kept distracting you?”

“Uh-huh.”

“He commented about your shortness?”

“Hey!”

“I'll take that as a yes.”

"… Mrs Leeds did, but he laughed. And he did the utmost betrayal!”

“Oh, I already know about the recording, he sent me a Snapchat.”

“YOU GOT ONE?”

“I got three.”

“Aw Ned…”

“It could have been worse.” She offers but Peter dramatically drops forward and collapses on the dashboard. She rubs the back of his neck affectionately. “Come on, you can try with me.”

Peter snaps his head up to tell her that they can try another night, but May is already half out of the car. He follows her action and slides into the driver seat, riling himself up for a real drive. Buckled in, mirrors good, and half a tank of gas still.

“Okay, you know what to do?” His aunt buckles in and balances her fries on her knees.

“Yeah, I got this,” Peter says confidently and looks around to make sure nobody else is in the empty car park.

This time around is much smoother than before, but that’s probably because May is the most chill guardian ever and deserves the world. The next hour is spent with surprisingly good parking, just slight speeding, and a few sharp turns. May stares proudly at her kid who has an excited grin on his face, eyes so bright. Her heart tugs slightly as she recognises the same expression Ben always carried when they first met. He would be so proud too.

  
_“Wake up, honey.” A deep voice breaks through the darkness and the woman slowly stirs before swatting away the hand in her hair._

_“No. Go away.”_

_The man chuckles and decides shaking her shoulder is better, “Come on, May. We’re finally here.”_

_May, 23 years young, opens her eyes to a dull light. Looking around, she’s still in Ben’s old Camaro where the heater barely works anymore and the wooden knob is duct-taped to the metal crank. May has her mother’s homemade knitted quilt she stole from her neighbour spread across her lap to help the cold. Her hands are bundled in the quilt clutching a stack of index cards, each scribbled on with physiology vocabulary. Elastic arteries being on the top._

_The warm, comforting hand on her shoulder begins rubbing gentle circles and May swings her gaze to its owner. Ben. Her wonderful boyfriend for the last year who has been her solid foundation in everything._

_She gives him a lopsided grin, her brown eyes crinkling at the corners, and Ben swears his heart still skips a beat. “Morning,” she says in a sleep-driven, raspy voice. Still lovely. He definitely timed this moment perfect. The rays of the earlier sun are rising in the distance, but not quite hitting them just yet._

_In the smooth, rose light, Ben can see calm dreams still in May’s eyes as they flutter rapidly to try to brush them away. Her cheeks are rosy from the cold, but the colour brings out her lips more, even if they are starting to crack. He watches her in anticipation as she rolls her shoulders, slumps into her seat, and looks out the windshield. May releases a slight gasp, eyes widening and brows curving, as she finally looks forward. They’re here._

_Pink. For miles, that’s all May could see. Most people would describe the ocean and the sky as blue, but not May. Not in this moment. The sun is not fully up yet, but the resonating rays coming off it turns the sky around it pink with bits of orange. The waves sway lightly and they carry the same pink as the sky. She’s never seen anything so beautiful._

_Sure, in New York, she’s seen the beach sunrise many times, but this is so much more different. She’s not sure how, but it is. It’s absolutely breathtaking._

_Apparently, Ben shares her thoughts, “Why don’t you take a picture of it?”_

_Quickly, not wanting to lose the moment, May scrambles to open the glove compartment and grab Ben’s favourite camera. She’s not the best at pictures, but she takes the shot. Click._

_Nothing happens._

_“What?” May asks as she pulls the camera back to inspect._

_“Is there film in there?” Ben asks._

_May opens the back and takes out the film cartridge, there’s a rattling noise. That’s odd, even May knows that. She shakes it to her ears and curiosity gets the better part of her. May pops it open and dumps the contents into her hand._

_A small heart locket tumbles out, “Oh!” May glances up at Ben, smiling and her teeth showing wide open._

_“Open it.”_

_May rolls her eyes at his antics but does so. She cocks her head to the side as there’s a cutout of an engagement ring taped to the inside? “Ben?” She asks in confusion._

_He clears his throat for a moment, “I don’t have enough money for a real ring. Or much of anything for that matter.” He bows his head down before holding her gaze again. “Everything’s changed since you’ve been a part of my life and I’ve cherished every moment I’ve had with you.” May’s throat clenches and her heart picks up as she knows what’s happening. “You’re so amazing in ways that you’ll never understand and I want to find more ways that you are, for the rest of my life.” Ben sets a hand on her upper arm and leans in, “If you would give me the privilege, will you marry, May Reilly?”_

“May, are you okay?”

_“I love you, May.”_

“May?”

  
May’s eyes finally focus back onto Peter’s furrowed brows and his unblinking stare. She waves her hand in front of her face, the memory disappearing once more. “I’m alright, just thinking about Ben.”

Peter nods in understanding, he gets like that too sometimes. “Ah, okay.”

May nods and blinks back watering eyes, her voice tight, “He’d have loved to teach you to drive.”


	3. Happy

“So, you’re saying that mustard only belongs on hot dogs?” The man asks incredulously at the boy.

“Yes,” Peter states with all the certainty in the world.

“Why only hot dogs? I put it on my burger all the time,” Happy argues.

Peter shrugs and looks away from the man, “I don’t know. It just tastes different.”

“You’re not really going to make me go back there and replace your order, right?” Happy would gladly do that, but he can’t let the human puppy know that.

Peter shakes his head vigourously, “No, sir! This is still good with mustard on it!” Peter immediately assures the man that he’s not complaining. Because hey! Free food.

“Alright, we got to start going now. Don’t spill anything in the car!” Happy even turns around with an evil eye and finger-pointing at Peter.

“I won’t!” Peter chirps, taking care of unwrapping his food carefully because the inside of this car is worth more than his entire life. Then a thought occurs to him. “Where are you from?”

“What? “Happy asks, surprised at the unexpected question.”

“Where are you from? Like where did you grow up?” Peter explains a bit more.

“Hmm, I grew up in Jersey.”

“HUUUUUUH!” Peter gasps loudly and obviously dramatically. “YOU’RE FROM NEW JERSEY?” Peter shouts, scowling at Happy with a clenched jaw.

Well, this is different. Happy casts concerned looks back towards Peter but continues driving.

“Yeah, what about it?”

“THAT’S WHY YOU CAN’T APPRECIATE MUSTARD ON HOT DOGS!”

Happy rolls his eyes, “That doesn’t even make sense.”

“Yes, it does!”

“Alright, I’ll bite. What does me being from New Jersey have to do with putting mustard on my hot dogs.”

“Because it just means that mustard is only a condiment to you!”

“Because it is. It’s just a sauce you can put on sausages and burgers.”

“Maybe to everywhere else. But here? There’s nothing more New York than hot dogs with mustard, chopped onions, and some of those green things.”

Happy just shakes his head at Peter’s nonsense. “You mean relish?”

“Yeah, that’s the shit!” Happy glances at Peter from the rearview mirror, considering saying something about his language, but doesn’t. He’s not his dad. That’s Tony’s job.

“So,” Happy still wants to change the subject, “How’d your week go?” And that starts Peter’s rambling.

Happy barely pays attention when Peter goes on about the algae water project because Happy doesn’t do science. Sure, after being around Tony for several years, Happy knows enough to get by, but that doesn’t mean he’s interested. Peter is just going on about various research from others to help stand their experiment results. Then Peter goes on a little about how ones of his classmates – Flash – is being nicer to everyone, especially Peter. It just so happens that Peter slips in that May scheduled a driving test in a couple of weeks.

“Driving test, huh? Does that mean I get to stop chauffeuring you soon?” He jokes. 

"Ha ha. No, you can still have that honour.” The kid goes along with him and Happy chuckles. “Besides, I still need practice this month before I take the test.”

Happy has an interesting thought. Practice. Hmm.

“You need more practice?”

“Yeah, Mrs Leeds and May both took me a few times, but they're busy a lot."

Practice indeed.

“Tell you what, Kid. We go to and from the compound 30 minutes every day where no other people drive, I’ll let you drive partway.”

“REALLY?” Peter sits straight up and bounces in his seat at the idea. He is definitely a puppy in another life.

“Yeah,” Happy pulls off to the side of the road. “Get out.”

"We're doing this now?"

“Yes, so come on.” 

Happy walks around to the passenger seat as Peter takes the spot where he would usually be. This is a nice change for once. After all those years of hauling Tony’s ass around.

“Do you know what you’re doing?”

“Yeah, but your car is different.”

“How so?”

“It’s not a stick shift.”

“You can drive manually? That’s surprising.”

“Hey! It's not my fault. May and Mrs Leeds both have old cars."

“Well, automatic is not so different, you’ll find it easier to control.”

“Alright, I’m trusting you with my life, Happy.”

“I think I should be the one saying that right now.”

“I shall have you know that I only flipped one car in my life.”

“What?”

Peter doesn’t give a response and instead jokingly floors the gas.

“GODDAMNIT PARKER!”

Let’s just say Peter has an inane ability to give all adults in his life grey hairs.


	4. Flash

Flash Thompson is a bully. Flash Thompson is an entitled brat. Flash Thompson has no feelings. Flash Thompson doesn’t care about anyone but himself. Flash Thompson has no soul. He’s heard it all before. The whispers that nobody thinks he’s paying attention to when he walks down the hallway. Even the teachers say it when they don’t think he can hear them outside of classrooms. But he does. He hears what people truly think of him and goddamn does it hurt. Not like he can show weakness though.

  
He’s in too deep now. No worth in changing his behaviour when they have already begun their sophomore year. It’s not like anybody in school actually cares about who Flash Thompson really is. Nobody has ever bothered to talk to him more than the latest thing his parents got him. Never in his life has anybody actually made the effort to try and get to know the person Flash is beyond his house and car. That’s why Peter Parker is his nemesis.

  
Parker just has this ability to connect to people in a certain way that everybody just has to care for him. Even Michelle Jones, the second scariest person alive, has a soft spot for Parker and his friend. People take one look at the guy and they see an adorable geek. People take one look at Flash and he’s just another kid swimming in his parent’s wealth. Nobody ever gives him a chance. That’s why when he looks at Parker, all he sees is green, and if Flash is going down, might as well bring someone with him.

  
^^^ This is what Peter thought of Flash since they started going to the same school. This random guy from homeroom just started being an ass to him & Ned out of nowhere. And here Peter thought that once he hit high school, he & Ned wouldn't be immediately outcasted. But no. This guy with a Gucci belt goes two days of homeroom with Peter before calling him out on his torn shoes and oversized glasses. It didn’t help that the teachers did absolutely nothing in fear of Flash’s father pulling out generous donations to the school.

  
This is what Peter thought of Flash… until he was invited to Senior Tyler Pete’s Halloween bash where he saw a completely new side to Eugene Thompson.

  
Ever since Liz moved to Oregon, there was an instant scramble between MSST students about who is going to be hosting all the parties now. Tyler Pete, ever the humble basketball player (*COUGH*SARCASM*COUGH*), demanded that his house become the new hot spot and went out of his way to invite EVERYONE. Luckily, this meant Peter & Ned were part of everyone. So, they went.

  
Cars are piling down the entire block and this time around, May isn’t able to have a pep talk with the boys because SOMEBODY wants to fucking honk and interrupt. She drives away with a quick, “Picking you boys up at 11!”

  
“Bye May!” Ned waves to the woman and Peter tries to pull off an awkward salute as a couple of cheerleaders glance over them. They quickly turn the other direction.

  
“C’mon let’s get inside.” He tells Ned and they turn around. Immediately, you know this is not like Liz’s party. At. All. No, there are other people that don’t even go to MSST and cliché red cups going around.

  
“Oh man.”

  
“Dude, is that beer?”

  
“I think so…”

  
Before either of them can turn around and run down the street after May, Tyler Pete spots two nerds not enjoying his awesome party. He runs up behind them, throwing his arms around their shoulders. “Parker! Leeds! How's it going, buddies?"

  
They share a quick glance and Leeds says, "It's alright. Lots of people here."

  
"Well, of course, there is! It's a party! I got some friends from the Bronx to spread the word about tonight.”

  
“Well, we don’t really know anybody here. We were just going to go.” Parker says.

  
“Dude, no!” He grabs Parker around the arm and hauls him into the house. “I’ll introduce you to some people.”

  
Tyler pulls Peter into the kitchen where a couple of pretty girls are lounging at the punch bowl with Leeds quick at his heel. “Parker, Leeds, this is Shantel and Christine.” The girls wave slightly.

  
“Shantel, Christine, these fine gentlemen are Parker and Leeds.” He pushes the two boys forward. “Have fun!” And he hops out of the room to be a great host, leaving two nerds alone with semi-popular girls.

  
The two girls take one look at them and walk away laughing.

  
“Well, that was awkward.” Peter rubs the back of his head.

  
“Yeah, no kidding.” Ned should’ve left the party hat.

  
“What are our chances for getting out of here unnoticed?”

  
“As long as you don’t start crawling on the ceiling, we’ll be fine.”

  
“I’m not taking off my shoes right now any-”

  
Peter doesn’t finish his sentence before his attention is drawn towards Flash shouting in the hall. As curious as two regular teenagers, they peek their heads into the hall to see their nemesis holding a near-ragdoll girl protectively behind him and shouting in Tyler Pete’s face.

“- was having a good time.”

  
“YEAH, HAVING A GOOD TIME WITH WHATEVER YOU DRUGGED HER!” They’ve never seen Flash as mad as he is now. He really resembles a fairytale dragon.

  
“Dude, for the last time, I never shoved it down her throat.”

  
“So what? She just pulled it out of her pocket?”

  
“Yeah, basically-”

  
“- No!” Flash looks own at the girl concerned. “I’m taking her home, but this isn’t over Pete!”

  
“Yeah, yeah. Get outta here.” Tyler waves him off.

  
And Flash does. Most of the people in the hall were already watching the interaction and they part ways as he walks down. Flash is struggling to walk the girl out with her not even helping at all and he wildly looks around the room. His eyes land on Peter & Ned.

  
“Parker, come on help me!”

  
Pete glances at Ned who shrugs.

  
“Come on, look at her,” Flash BEGS.

  
That’s Peter’s last straw. He takes up her other side, helping guide her out of the house with Ned following behind.

  
Well, this is completely unexpected.

  
Flash leads them to his car, Ned opens the back seat, and Flash dives in with the girl. He tosses his keys to Peter, “I need you to drive for me.”

  
Peter is about to object when he sees the pleading look in Flash’s eyes and all qualms dies down. So, they listen to Flash; Peter gets into the driver’s seat and Ned gets into the passenger side.

  
The next 10 minutes is torturous as Peter carefully follows Flash’s directions to what is supposedly his house. Surprisingly, Flash is a good tutor, or that might be because he is worried about ruining another one of his father’s cars.

It’s just after pulling up to a red light, Peter glances to the right and sees a police vehicle pulling up. “Oh, fuck…” He whimpers, taking deep breaths.

  
Meanwhile, Ned is just texting a goodbye to some of their friends and his mum. Dramatic bitch.

  
Flash looks over and takes action. “Stop spazzing, Parker!” Sort of.

  
Peter glances back at him, “I’m sorry, but I’ve never driven a car across town! Why? Because I don’t have my fucking license!” Peter’s hand starts gripping tightly onto the steering wheel and bites his lips whilst nervously casting glancing to the two officers laughing in the car next to him.

  
“Dude, relax your arms and stop looking at them.” Peter, despite melting on the inside, listens to Flash. Inhale for four seconds… 1… 2… 3… 4… Exhale for eight seconds… 1… 2…

  
Peter doesn’t get to continue before the light shifts to green. “Alright go Parker, but hold at 35 and lean back into the seat.”

  
Eyes flickering over to Ned again, bastard loves recording his miseries.

  
“Eyes on the road, I’m not dying because you don’t do anything illegal.” Oh, what Flash doesn’t know.

  
Finally, they get to Flash’s house, which looks exactly how’d you imagine it. Big, strong Ned is helping the now half-awake girl out of the car, leaving Flash to turn to Peter with earnest eyes. He sighs before saying, “Uh, thanks, dude.” He awkwardly glances everywhere but Peter. “I know I’m a dick to you a lot, but I really need help with Emma. She’s my cousin and just visiting us for the week. I didn’t know she would go crazy.” Peter nods understandingly even though he doesn’t really under having cousins or that much family.

  
“Yeah, no problem,” Peter tries to play it cool. Once Ned has her out of the car, Flash takes a hold of her and leads her towards the house. Yeah, Peter is making a sweeping declaration to never get that intoxicated. Ever.

  
“Later!” Flash calls out behinds him and locks the car. That’s when Peter and Ned realise one thing: how are they going to get back to the party?

  
Ned looks at the car to Peter to Flash’s house and back to Peter. It’s his fault for being a hero again. “You're explaining this to May.”


	5. WikiHow

Ever since going to Midtown Tech, Peter has had the most unfortunate school trips and would like to have just one normal one. Their first trip in freshman year was to the American Museum of Natural History where Peter was unfortunately paired with Flash who took the opportunity to pull Peter’s trousers down in the middle of the Planetarium Shop. Only one small German family was a witness for that event until he checked Twitter later and found out Flash took a picture. Then there was the Oscorp trip where Peter got too curious for his own good and got bitten by a radioactive spider that gave him superhuman abilities. Then the Decathlon trip to Washington D.C. famous amongst the school as Spider-Man had to save the team from a falling elevator in a “terrorist attack” bombing.

Now here they are: on a trip from the New York City Center for Space Science Education, the first seemingly normal field trip. It is the best trip that Peter has ever been on. No rude talk from Flash, who has been kinder since Tyler’s party, no wandering off, and he got to learn a lot about gravity. He also got to see an entertaining scene where Mr Harrington reprimanded Ned for trying to buy what seems the entire gift shop. A perfect field trip for once, until they got back on the bus. That’s when all Hell broke loose.

Ned tried staying at the simulators as long as he could so the pair were the last ones on the bus and were next to the teacher. They’re just entering the Williamsburg bridge when Peter’s spidey-sense starts tingling, and he quickly scans the area to see what is about to happen. He notices the bus driver, Edgar, breathing weirdly and is swaying slightly.

“Hey, Edgar, are you okay?” The concern in Peter’s voice has Ned & Mr Harrington looking up, as well as MJ who was further in the back. 

“Waffles…” Edgar says and Peter frowns.

“What?”

“Hergh-” Edgar tries to respond but he suddenly sinks into his seat and his hands fall off the wheel. Heart attack.

“EDGAR!”

The response is almost instantaneous as Edgar’s foot is limp dead on the accelerator pedal and the bus begins gaining speed. The immediate speed burst throws off the balance of the bus, but Mr Harrington and Peter jump into action.

“Whoa!”

“Oh fuck!”

“Ahk!”

“Hey Edgar,” Peter tries shaking the old man awake, but he doesn’t stir. There’s a slight bump that shakes the whole bus and Peter looks up to take in the car in front of them speeding up and swerving still. Did they just bump the car?

Peter takes the wheel just before the bus turns into the next lane, “Oh shit!” He tries turning back into their lane fast but doesn’t expect the sudden lurch. How the fuck do you drive a bus?

“Parker, pull the bus over and honk the horn.” Mr Harrington tells him before getting Ned to help him take Edgar out of his seat safely. Once he is laid on the aisle floor, Peter jumps into the seat, hands on the wheel, and praying to Thor that he can figure out how this works.

Multiple things happen in the next moments.

First, Peter finds the horn button to the left of the wheel and tries to warn other cars about what’s happening. After he screams, “WHY ARE THERE THREE PEDALS?” Cindy Moon runs up to the front of the bus with her phone and is advising him how to turn on the emergency signal and park the bus.

Mr Harrington has Ned help him with giving Edgar CPR whilst trying to keep the whole group somewhat calm. Flash has his phone up to his ear and is trying to explain the situation to the police or ambulance or someone able to handle this situation. Several students have their phones up too but are either recording what’s going on or are frantically typing.

All the conversations mould into an endless stream.

“- don’t know what happened. Parker just-”

“- push down hard 30 times then pause for me to-”

“- going to believe what is happening on our-”

“- help, our bus driver just had a heart attack or-”

“- like 60 years old, he just suddenly-”

“- driving the bus?”

“- doesn’t even have his license-”

“- left pedal is the clutch, the middle is the-”

“- we’re going to die, aren’t we?” Hearing the last part, Peter snaps out of whatever mind fog he has going on and focuses more on what the girl helping him is saying.

Cindy’s excellent WikiHow lesson helps Peter with parking the bus to the side of the bridge without crashing into another car. It’s just a miracle that he learned how to drive manually. Cars behind them part and slow down as they realise something is wrong with their bus. 

Peter, in Spider-Man mode, calls out, “Everybody out the back!” Maybe it’s seeing a new side of Peter, but the students listen and start clambering out the emergency back door. It helps that Peter & Ned were at the very front of the bus and none of the other students surrounded Edgar.

“AHH!” Seriously??? Right now? A girl in his class yelps as a car nearly clips her as they drive. Peter mentally facepalms at how much his classmates lack critical thinking skills.

“Come on, let’s get off the road.” With that, Peter and the other students line up against the railing of the bridge

Within a minute, an ambulance arrives and is quickly followed by a news van, which has Flash quickly fixing up his hair. Paramedics quickly take over Mr Harrington’s & Ned’s place in the CPR, and the two join everybody else outside. 

The panic in Peter’s chest settles in and he feels like he can’t even breathe. He feels himself shaking but can’t stop himself. He doesn’t even feel different hands touching him as people try to express their gratitude for his quick actions. Everything is muffled. He only takes in the sight of Edgar on a gurney, being rolled into the ambulance, and Mr Harrington, phone to his ear, watching the man leave with glassy eyes. Ned is the one to bring him back.

His best friend just pulls him roughly into a hug, even picking Peter off the ground. “You okay dude?”

“Yeah, I think so.” Peter hugs him back just as hard but watching out of super strength. “I stop cars with my bare hands every day, why am I freaking out so much?”

“I don’t know, maybe because you’re not wearing your suit?” Ned suggests, stepping back and Peter takes a good look at him. He is sweaty, probably from the CPR, but he looks pretty damn proud of himself. He should be. That’s when Peter realises why he is so scared. Not for him. For Ned. For MJ. For all the other students in danger.

“Yeah, probably.”


	6. +1 MJ

Lately, Peter feels like fate is trying to pull MJ into his very exclusive friend group, i.e. only Ned, especially with this last history assignment. They are working in pairs to present a piece of current news; which Michelle decided they should compile an awareness of sexual assault and use Trump’s recent reports as an example. Their determination to get do a good job means that they’re spending an abundant amount of time working together in café shops and the local library. The last day before the due date, it's already dark outside and MJ’s dad texted her saying he needed to get her because this time of night is too dangerous for her to walk home. Peter would have volunteered to walk her home, but apparently, MJ told her family how shrimpy Peter has been over the years.

  
“Are you sure?”

  
“I don’t think a guy who tripped over a 3-pound weight last year will do much in a fight,” MJ smirks jokingly, but Peter feels his spidey-sense tingling again.

  
Peter keeps up with her teasing, “Hey, if anything, I could distract the mugger and we run in opposite directions?”

  
MJ just rolls her eyes and Peter can see a small smile she tries to hide by glancing the other way. Yeah, she is definitely warming up to him and Ned.

  
About fifteen minutes pass before a rusty old Mustang rolls up in front of the café and Peter decides to walk MJ to the car before heading home himself. MJ just nods Peter along, but it turns out that her father has other ideas. After a quick exchange with MJ, the elder man sticks his head out of the front seat and calls out to Peter. “Hey, Parker!”

  
He was about to try crossing the street but stopped himself in time to hear him. He gallops over to Mr Jones, “Yeah, sir?” MJ raises an eyebrow with a deadpan expression.

  
“Michelle was just telling me that you live near us, so why don't I give you ride?” The man offers, but he slurs a bit through the words. That’s not at all a warning sign. His spidey-sense is not tingling at all. Of course, he should get into the car.

  
“Uh, no that's okay. I was going to pick some things up for home,” Peter lies through his teeth. He's not excited to ride with a possible drunk man. Plus, the whole stranger danger thing he should probably listen to.

  
“I in-insist!” Mr Jones announces and unlocks the back door.

  
Peter, the king of awkward exchanges, fumbles with the door handle before just ducking into the backseat. MJ would facepalms if her father actually gave a shit about the gangly boy in the backseat. Peter slams into the back of Mr Jones’ seat as the man pulls out the car ferociously. Slightly using his sticky power, Peter pushes himself into his seat as the car speeds, likely dangerously, away. MJ doesn't handle the situation much better and pretty much clings to her backpack for dear life.

  
“So, Pete, you go to Midtown with Michelle?” Mr Jones tries to start a conversation, but MJ jumps in.

  
“Well, obviously if we’re doing a project together.”

  
“MJ! You're being rude, you don’t interrupt people.” MJ just rolls her eyes.

  
“You joining the basketball team?”

  
“Uh, no, sir. I’m busy with the Decathlon team and my internship.” Why does this vaguely feel like his ride with Toomes?

  
“Oh, that’s right,” the man frowns, “you work for Stark.” Mr Jones rolls his eyes at the thought of the man and Peter feels his spidey-sense tingle. “Do you get paid like all those hot shot underlings?”

  
“Dad,” MJ’s voice is low & serious, “stop.” Whoa, there are actual chills on his arms.

  
The next few minutes are mainly awkward silence and Peter debating whether this ride or the one with Liz & Vulture was better. It’s a coin toss honestly. This is absolutely suffocating. Then things start to pick up when Mr Jones says, “Oh hey. There's Dwayne over there. That cockroach owes me $70!”

  
The teens brace for impact again as Mr Jones breaks the law for a second and parks across the street into a bar. “I'll be right back, don't move.” Mr Jones warns before staggering around the corner of the building.

  
Immediately, MJ unbuckles herself, grips her bag, and tells Peter, “Come on let's go.” Peter is quick to follow her out.

  
The two quickly rush off down the street and turn around the closest corner they can. MJ looks back to make sure her father isn’t following them and then looks at Peter, “Sorry about that.” MJ says softly, head lower than usual, and Peter just knows this is the closest she’s been too embarrassed before.

  
“It’s alright,” Peter tries to brush off. He thinks a little bit further of the Jones’ interactions and just has to ask, “Uh, are you guys, uh, always like… that?”

  
She shrugs, “Yeah, most of the time.”

  
Peter is about to speak up when she cuts in with, “So, I guess this means you’re walking me home now.” She doesn’t phrase it like a question.

  
Peter smirks, “I thought you didn’t want someone as weak as me to walk you home?”

  
Grateful for the banter, MJ replies, “I could always use you as a shield.”

  
He clutches his chest dramatically, “I thought I meant more to you!”

  
“You thought wrong then.”

  
“Well, I never!”

Their conversation continues all the way to MJ’s apartment, which turns out to only be a few blocks down from Parker’s. They stop outside the building for a minute where Peter is prepared to leave MJ and go on patrol, but then she offers him some articles she printed out for their reports. She would’ve given him them at school, but since he’s there now, why not? They trudge up to the top of the building and MJ leads them into a small apartment, well smaller than the Parker’s apartment at least. They go in and a little boy no more than 8 is sitting on the couch, listening to the TV, and immersed in a sketchbook in front of him. He looks up and smiles, “Hey, goober.”

  
The girl gives him a rare smile – or what Peter thinks is rare since she never shows teeth – and goes over to him and looks at the drawing. “Wow, Miles, it’s looking good.”

  
He looks so proud of her words and shows her his progress, “Thanks. It’s not as good as yours though.”

  
“Not yet, you just need practice.” She goes to a room in the back and leaves Peter with who he assumes is her brother. The kid just stares up at Peter.

  
Peter is surprisingly actually pretty good with kids, so he bends down to Miles’ level and asks, “Hey buddy, what’s up?”

  
“Who are you?”

  
“I’m Peter Parker,” he offers his hand to the kid and he takes it gladly. “I’m doing homework with MJ.”

  
The kid raises one eyebrow, “Is it homework or _homework_?” Miles emphasises the word enough for Peter to know what he’s getting at, but Peter just laughs at the hilarity of it. Sure, MJ is pretty, but he is not over the whole Liz thing yet.

  
“No, we’re just friends,” Peter shakes his head, still chuckling. “It’s school work about Trump.”

  
“That’s a lame homework.”

  
“It’s about how he shouldn't be president.”

  
“That’s a better homework.”

  
“I like you.” Peter smiles at him.

  
“I like you too.”

  
This is when MJ walks into the room and just has to stare at how well her friend and brother are getting along. “Alright, Morales, tell Peter goodbye, he has to go home now.”

  
Miles rolls his eyes, “Okay, Jones.” He turns to Peter and offers him a high-five that he gives enthusiastically, “Bye Peter!”

  
“See ya, little dude.”

  
“I’m not little.”

  
“Keep telling yourself that.”

  
MJ chimes in, “Oh, you’re one to talk Pete.” Peter, the highly mature, grownup man, sticks his tongue at her. She’s apparently no better and returns it.

  
She shoves a folder into Peter’s chest and leads him to the front door, “You alright to head home by yourself?” They step into the hallway where they can have a couple of minutes alone.

  
“Of course! Born and raised New York.”

“Alright, I’ll see you at school then.

  
“Yeah, actually, I have to ask,” Peter glances inside to Miles. The kid is back to drawing. Drawing Spider-Man now that Peter can actually see what he’s doing. “You don’t talk much about your family.”

  
“That’s not a question,” she’s on guard.

  
“Yeah, uh, you guys alright?” Just the pure concern in his eyes makes her want to let him in on her personal life. Peter’s a good guy.

  
“We’re not exactly… conventional, but we’re good.” The concern doesn’t go, so she continues on. “My mum’s never been around, and I was all my dad had before he adopted Miles.” Now the Morales/Jones thing makes sense. “He’s trying his best to be there for us, but he just has rough times.”

  
“Alright, I just wanted to make sure you and Miles are okay.”

  
“Yeah, we’re definitely good. I can take care of myself and Miles has an uncle that likes to visit him a lot.” Peter has the highest respect for caring uncles. Oh, Ben…

  
“Well, if you guys are good, then I’m good.” Peter gives her an awkward thumbs up and she smirks at his attempt.

  
“Well, good. I guess I’ll see you at school.”

  
“Yeah, I’ll be sure to read these.” He holds up the folder.

  
“You better, I’m not getting a B for you slacking.”

  
“Jeez, lack of faith?” He smiles and starts walking away, “Later.”

  
And she goes inside. She feels a small weight off her chest and realises how good it feels to know that someone has her back. Who else better to trust than the guy behind Spider-Man’s mask? She’ll let him think she doesn’t know.


	7. Epilogue

It's the day of Peter’s driving test and once Tony caught wind of the event, he immediately offered for Peter to use his car for it. Well, Peter did exactly that and terrified the poor DMV man in charge of testing him. But hey, he got his license, stopped a couple of criminals, and that’s all that matters.

  
Tony is standing in front of the Compound’s main entrance and patiently waits as Peter pulls up in front of him. Tony briefly wonders if this is how it feels like to be a proud parent. Watching Peter smile big and drive surprisingly smooth, Tony feels all warm & fuzzy for the boy. It's a welcome relief to Peter’s usual ‘carrying the weight of the world on his shoulder’ look that he is too damn young for. Of course, Tony should be inside for a meeting too low for his pay grade, but this is too exciting to miss.

  
“I believe congratulations are in order, Mr Parker,” Tony says as he peers into the passenger window. “What do you think of the car?”

  
“It’s awesome! The guy at the DMV looked so shocked when he saw it and asked me where I got it from. I didn’t know how to tell him that you, THE Tony Stark, lent it to me for my test, so I told him I borrowed it from a friend named Tony. Then he said-” Peter’s story is interrupted by Happy walking out of the Compound and calling his name.

  
“Tony, come on! The meeting is starting in five minutes on the other side of the building!” Happy stands inside the door and waits for Tony to come inside.

  
Tony thinks for a millisecond and practically dives into the passenger seat, “Drive, Parker.”

  
“Where to, Mr Stark?” Peter grins.

  
“Have you eaten?” Peter shakes his head. “Take me someplace you like.”

  
Peter drives off without looking back at Happy, who at this point knows it’s pointless to try to wrangle either one. Sweet Jesus, they’re the same person.


End file.
